Drilling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for drilling a hole, and for belling out the lower end of the hole into a conical enlargement, in a single pass of the apparatus down the drill hole, which apparatus includes a combined drilling and belling tool. A novel drill stem assembly and a novel kelly bar assembly are also disclosed.

United States Patent 1191 Pereau Jul 30, 1974 DRILLING APPARATUS 1,876.627 9/1332 Davis et al. 175/215 x 1 1 Inventor: Robert Irvine, Califiii/335?; 35192? 331 151117"'IIIIIIII .11: 1321512? 3,153,290 10/1964 Saito 175/215 x [73] Asslgnee' g gfi Santa Fe 3,684,041 8/1972 Kammercr et 61..., 175/267 p g 3,731,753 5/1973 wcbeihi 175/285 [22] 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [21] APPI- 390,719 967,358 8/l964 Great Britain 138/111 Related U.S. Application Data v v [62] Division of S61. N0. 177,037. Sept. 1, 1971, Pat. N0.. Primary Examiner-David Brown [52] U.S. Cl 175/162, 175/202, 175/215 [57] ABSTRACT 151 Int. Cl E2lb 19/08, E211: 1/10 Apparatus for drilling a hole, and for belling out the [58] 1 16111 or Search 175/207, 267, 215, 285, lower end f the hole into a Conical enlargement, in a l75/l62, 202; l38/l l l, l 12, 1 13 single pass ofthe apparatus down the drill hole, which apparatus includes a combined drilling and belling 5 1 References Cited tool. A novel drill stem assembly and a novel kelly bar UNITED STATES PATENTS assembly are also disclosed.

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DRILLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present application is a division of my prior copending application Ser. No. 177,037, filed Sept. 1, I971, now US. Pat. No. 3,757,876 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

In construction work it is often the practice to construct a footing or foundation member whose lower end portion is enlarged. Such footings are commonly constructed of reinforced concrete in which the steel reinforcing material provides the tensile strength which would otherwise be lacking. Enlargement of the lower end of the footing not only adds to the weight and hence the stability of the footing, but also provides a positive restraint against any upward pull of the footing.

One particular application of the present invention is in the construction of ocean platforms to be used for oil prospecting or drilling operations. The ocean platform may be subjected to very strong ocean waves which place severe stresses on the platform legs in both horizontal and vertically upward directions. Furthermore, the work of constructing such a platform must be performed under conditions which are rather adverse, hence there is a high premium on efficiency in the initial performance of the construction work.

The art of drilling holes for reinforced footings, whether on land or under the ocean floor, has hitherto been well known. It has also been well known, after the initial hole has been drilled, to bell out or enlarge the lower end of the hole. However, the belling out of the lower end of the hole hasalways required a separate and distinct operation.

The principal object and purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to provide drilling and belling apparatus which is suitable for drilling a hole and then belling out its lower end, all in a single pass of the tool down the hole.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which'is suitable for use in constructing an ocean platform.

DRAWING SUMMARY FIG. 1 is an elevational view of footings supporting a temporary ocean platform, in a typical ocean platform construction job where the apparatus of the present invention may be used;

FIGS. 2a, 2b and together are an elevation view of the apparatus of the present invention, shown in use in the center of FIG. 1 for constructing a footing;

FIGS. 3a and 3b together show an elevational crosssectional view of the swivel assembly and kelly bar assembly, taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the kelly bar assembly taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3b;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3b;

FIGS. 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d together are an elevational view, partially in cross-section, of the drill stern assembly and-combination drilling and belling tool;

FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d together are a vertical crosssectional view of the drill stem assembly and combination drilling and belling tool taken on the lines' 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 9a; v

FIG. 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 9a;

FIG. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 9a;

FIG. 13 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 13l3 of FIG. 9b;

FIG. 14 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line l414 of FIG. 9b;

FIG. 15 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 1515 of FIG. 9b;

FIG. 16 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line l616 of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 17-'-17 of FIG. 9c;

FIG. l8 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line l818 of FIG. 9d;

FIG. 19 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 1919 of FIG. 9d;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the tubu lar casing of FIG. 8a showing above the casing a section of drill stem which is adapted for reverse circulation with air lift;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view, partially in crosssection, of the kelly bar assembly of FIGS; 2a, 2b, and

For further disclosure of the present invention my prior copending application, now US. Pat. No. 3,757,876, is incorporated by reference inaccordance with the procedure authorized in M.P.E.P. 608 .0l(p).

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT GENERAL DESCRIPTION a The combination drilling and belling tool assembly, FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c, consists of a combination drilling and belling bucket 500, the necessary sections of re verse circulation drill stem with airlift 300, a section of reverse circulation drill stem with air injection 400, the necessary number of stabilizers 375, a kelly bar assembly'200, 'and'a swivel 100. l

Referring to FIG. 1, in order to make the tool operational it is also necessary to have compressed air and hydraulic fluid supplies (not shown), a settling tank 14 into which the drilling fluid 22 and drilling chips may be discharged, a return hose ,16 for returning the drilling fluid to the drill hole, a tower 18 and block and tackle 24 to support the drill string during the drilling operation, a winch 26 to control the block and tackle, and a ring gear drive or rotary table 20 which engages the kelly bar 200, and provides the rotary driving force to the drill stem assembly.

Referring to FlGS.,2a, 2b, 2c, and 3a, attached to the top of the kelly bar and drill stem assemblyisa reverse circulation swivel consisting of a bail 102, a swivel body 104, an elbow 106 attached to the top of the swivel body, a spindle 108, and a hydraulic swivel housing 1 10. The bail is provided with a means for pivotally attaching a block and tackle hook 28 at its top and is further provided with a means for'the pivotal attachment of the swivel body 104 to its lower end. The spindle is centrally disposed within the swivel body and has a spindle center pipe 1l2'with a swivel flange plate 1 14 attached to itslower end. The swivel body is provided with a sealed cavity 118 surrounding the center pipe of the spindle and connected in a continuous manner to an auxiliary conduit 158 in the spindle. In addition, the purpose of the swivel is to provide the vertical support necessary to support the drilling tool while still allowing the spindle to freely rotate within the swivel body. The elbow 106 attached to the top of the swivel body has an elbow-shaped pipe 120 which acts as a discharge nozzle for the drilling fluid and drilling chips. It should be noted that the vertical displacement of the entire drill string is controlled by the vertical displacement of the swivel. The vertical displacement of the swivel is generally controlled by the attachment of a block and tackle 24 between the top of the drilling tower 18 and the top of the swivel bail 102.

Attached between the top of the drill stem assembly and the swivel is a kelly bar assembly 200. The kelly bar assembly has an elongated tubular frame 202, a center pipe section 204 and an air auxiliary pipe section 206 (FIG. 3b disposed within the tubular frame, two elongatedribs 208 attached to the outer circumference of the tubular frame, two hydraulic cylinders 210 dis posed within the frame, a bracket 212 for coupling the action of the, two'hydraulic cylinders together, a sucker rod swivel 214 for attachment of the drill stem sucker rod 209 to the hydraulic cylinder bracket 212, and top and bottom adapters 216 and 218 at the top and bottom ends of the kelly bar for attaching the kelly bar assembly 200 between the top of the drill stem assembly and the swivel 100.

The function of the kelly bar assembly 200 is to provide a means for coupling the drill stem assembly to the rotary cable 20. This coupling is provided by theelongated ribs 208 on the outside of the kelly bar frame. The kelly bar is free to slide up and down through the rotary table while recesses within the rotary table ring gear engage with the ribs on the outside surface of the kelly bar assembly. Hence, the power drive provided by the rotary table is transmitted to the kelly bar which in turn transmits the rotary action to the drill stem assembly. The' two hydraulic cylinders 210 disposed within the kelly bar frame are coupled at their upper or cylinder ends to the frame structure while the lower or piston ends of the. cylinders are coupled to the bracket 212,'which in turn is coupled to the sucker rod swivel 214. This sticker rod swivel provides connection to the previously mentioned sucker rod 209 which extends up through the drill stem. Hence, by activating the hydraulic cylinders the sucker rod is displaced in a vertical direction relative to the kelly bar and drill stem assemblies.

is a section of reverse circulation drill stem with airlift 300. It is seen that this section of drill stem consists of acenter pipe section 302, two auxiliary pipe sections 304 (FIG. 9a), a tubular casing 306, four transverse openings 308 through the casing, and attachment or drill stem flange plates 310 and 312 at the upper and lower ends of the drill stem section. The center pipe section and auxiliary pipe sections are so oriented that they align with the center pipe section, the auxiliaryair pipe section and the sucker rod swivel of the kelly bar assembly.

At least'one section of reverse circulation drill stem with air injection 400 is used in the drill string. This sec- Attached to the bottom end of the kelly bar assembly A tion of drill stem is nearly identical to the previously described section of reverse circulation drill stem with airlift 300. Its main components are a center pipe'section 402, two auxiliary pipes 404 and 406 (FIGS. 9a and b, a tubular casing 410, attachment or drill stem flange plates 412 and 414 at its upper and lower ends, and four transverse openings 416 through the casing. As with the previously described section of drill stem, one of the auxiliary pipes 406 shown in FIG. 9b may be used to house a section of sucker rod 209. This auxiliary pipe is identified as the sucker rod auxiliary pipe. The essential difference between this section of drill stem and the previously described section of drill stem is revealed by examining the function ofthe other auxiliary pipe 404. At the lower end of the drill stem section is seen a series of drilled holes 418 interconnecting theauxiliary pipe 404 and the center pipe 4020f the drill stem. Hence, as air pressure is applied to this auxiliary pipe it will necessarily flow through those holes into the center pipe. This is known in the art-as an air injection process.

Attached at regular intervals along the drill string are stabilizers 375. The stabilizer is a commercially available item and basically consists of a spindle 3'77 and an outer housing or body assembly 379. The body assembly may be provided with a series of elongated roller bearings such that the body assembly is freely rotatable relative to the spindle. The outside diameter of the body assembly is made to match the diameter of the drill casing 50 and the inside diameter of the spindle is made to be firmly attached to the drill stem. Hence,-

when the stabilizer is firmly attached to the drill stem it acts to center the drill stem within the drill casing. The provision of the elongated roller bearings acting between the spindle and the stabilizer housing allows the drill stem to freely turn within the stabilizer housing while the stabilizer housing is riding against the drill casing.

While the present invention has been disclosed in detail in one of its forms in order to comply with the patent laws, it will be understood that the breadth and scope of the invention are limited only by the following claims: 1

lclaimz Y 1 1. A kelly bar assembly comprising:

an elongated frame;

a pair of elongated conduits coextensive with said frame and supportingly attached thereto, one of said conduits being adapted for conveying pressurized air in a downward directionand the other of said conduits being adapted for conveying drilling fluid containing drilling chips in an upward direction;

means for removably attaching the upper end of said frame to a swivel to be supported thereby;

means for removably attaching a section of drill stem to the lower end of said frame;

coupling means normally disposed at the lower end of said frame and adapted for removable connection thereto of an elongated rigid actuating member which extends down to and through said drill stem-section; V

vertical drive .means carriedby said frame and coupled to said coupling means for selectively raising or lowering said coupling means to thereby selectively raise or lower said elongated rigid actuating member;

and an elongated rib cage including at least two ribs, which surrounds said frame and is attached thereto, for imparting a rotating drive motion to said frame as said frame progressively drops down through the rotating gear of a rotating platform.

2. A kelly bar assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vertical drive means includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having its lower end attached to said coupling means and its upper end attached to said frame.

3. A kelly bar assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame has a generally cylindrical configuration and said two conduits are disposed within the interior thereof.

gated rigid member. 

1. A kelly bar assembly comprising: an elongated frame; a pair of elongated conduits coextensive with said frame and supportingly attached thereto, one of said conduits being adapted for conveying pressurized air in a downward direction and the other of said conduits being adapted for conveying drilling fluid containing drilling chips in an upward direction; means for removably attaching the upper end of said frame to a swivel to be supported thereby; means for removably attaching a section of drill stem to the lower end of said frame; coupling means normally disposed at the lower end of said frame and adapted for removable connection thereto of an elongated rigid actuating member which extends down to and through said drill stem section; vertical drive means carried by said frame and coupled to said coupling means for selectively raising or lowering said coupling means to thereby selectively raise or lower said elongated rigid actuating member; and an elongated rib cage including at least two ribs, which surrounds said frame and is attached thereto, for imparting a rotating drive motion to said frame as said frame progressively drops down through the rotating gear of a rotating platform.
 2. A kelly bar assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vertical drive means includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having its lower end attached to said coupling means and its upper end attached to said frame.
 3. A kelly bar assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame has a generally cylindrical configuration and said two conduits are disposed within the interior thereof.
 4. A kelly bar assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said vertical drive means includes at least one hydraulic cylinder disposed within said frame, having its lower end attached to said coupling means and its upper end attached to said frame.
 5. The kelly bar assembly claimed in claim 4 wherein said vertical drive means includes a pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinders disposed in parallel relationship, and wherein said coupling means includes a rotating swivel attachment for the upper end of said elongated rigid member. 